GIRLS’ BASKETBALL / SANTIAGO CAVALIER CLASSIC : Edison Gets Easy Victory in Championship Game

Edison High jumped to a 7-0 lead and never trailed in defending its Santiago Cavalier Classic girls’ basketball title with a 76-47 victory over Corona del Mar Friday night.

Any hopes the Sea Kings had of upsetting the Chargers, ranked ninth in the county, were quickly dashed when Melissa Ford committed two fouls in the first six seconds of the game, resulting in three Edison points. Marie Philman, who entered the tournament as the county’s leading scorer, scored early with three players defending and Kerri O’Bric added a field goal for the swift lead.

Edison put the game out of reach when Philman hit four free throws, thanks to two technicals on Lindsay Warmington, for a 19-6 lead with 4:21 left in the first quarter.

“We have a selfish team and we moved the ball well,” Edison Coach Dave White says.

By the end of the first quarter, Edison (11-2) had built a 25-12 lead and increased it to 45-25 at halftime.

Philman, the tournament’s most valuable player for the second consecutive year, scored 29 points in three quarters. She had five steals, 14 rebounds, three assists and blocked two shots. The first string sat out the fourth quarter after taking a 68-32 lead.

Ford with 18 points and Ashley Conover with 14 led Corona del Mar (6-8).

“They tried to box Philman out and I feel that their defense will help us in (Sunset) League play,” White said.